Immobilization and retention of caffeine in soil amended with Ulva reticulata biochar

Abstract

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the immobilization and retention of caffeine (CFN) in soil and the influence of biochar for the CFN transport in agricultural soil. The biochar was produced from the Ulva reticulata seaweed biomass (ULBC) under the slow-pyrolysis with a heating rate of 7 °C/min at 500 °C and characterized using XRD and FTIR. The CFN retention and transport abilities in loamy sand and ULBC amended (2.5%) soil were evaluated under various pH values range of 3-10 and at various CFN concentrations using batch and column experiments. The surface orientation of ULBC was portrayed as the randomized distribution of hetero and homogeneous nature. The highest retention capacity (40 μg/g) was obtained at pH 4.0. Soil amendment with ULBC shows a higher retention affinity towards CFN, of up to 150 μg/g than soil, with minimal pH dependence. The maximum CFN adsorption capacities of soil and amended soils were 420 and 820 μg/g, respectively, based on the Langmuir model. Batch experiments suggested the adsorption of CFN by the biochar amended loamy soil is governed by the electrostatic attraction. The column experiment data demonstrated a high transport potential of CFN in the loamy sand; however, a strong cumulative reduction of transport (58%) was observed with the application of ULBC into the loamy sand. Thus, the addition of seaweed biochar as an amendment in soils with biosolids and wastewater irrigation may reduce the mobilization of CFN to the aquatic system and possibly reduce plant uptake.

Keywords: Biochar; Caffeine; Emerging contaminants; Pharmaceuticals and personal care products; Soil amendment.